


Freefall

by gravityinglass



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-07
Updated: 2013-01-07
Packaged: 2017-11-24 00:40:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/628322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gravityinglass/pseuds/gravityinglass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam Payne is forced to spend the summer in the middle of nowhere. He was expecting long, boring days and not much to do. He wasn’t expecting to fall in love. Niam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freefall

**Author's Note:**

> Just casually transferring this over from tumblr...I promise it's not as bad as it sounds. :)  
> Disclaimer: No harm intended.

_“I can still see you standing there/summer tangled in your hair_.” Blame it On September, Allstar Weekend.

—

Liam was not looking forward to spending the summer in the middle of nowhere; unfortunately, that was exactly where he was headed. Supposedly it was to figure out his life and get over his grief. In actuality, he knew it was to get him out of the house while his new stepmom moved in.

He sighed heavily and stared out the window as Cher chanted, “Tree. Tree. Bush. Tree. Tree. Tree. Rock. Bush. Tree. Tree. Bu-”

“Okay, we get it!” Aunt Charlotte admonished. “Can you  _try_  to be enthusiastic about this? We’re almost there anyways.”

“Mum. It’s July. I don’t even know what  _continent_  we’re on, much less how far ‘til we get there, considering  _you and Uncle James drugged me_.” Cher scowled at her mother—they’d slipped her some sort of sleeping pill and she hadn’t woken until the plane had landed.

“And neither of us exactly want to be here,” Liam put in.

Aunt Charlotte rolled her eyes. Like all adults who had known Liam since before his father’s remarriage, she didn’t find his new attitude amusing.

“You’re in Europe; notice the side of the road we’re driving on. We’re going to a town called Grangerford. It’s an island—or actually, a group of islands—so we’ll need to use a ferry to get there. Sorry, Cher,” she told her daughter, who looked visibly ill at the thought of a boat. “We’ll be staying in one of the cottages on the island. You two can do just about whatever you want while I’m working in town. Just…try not to antagonize the locals, okay? By the way, the family we’re renting from has twins your age. I think their names were Elizabeth and Neil?”

Liam and Cher exchanged looks. Elizabeth and Neil did not sound like fun people to hang out with.

Not long after, they made it onto a large ferry, parking the car on a lower level and moving up to the top of the boat, where a collection of tables were arranged inside a large cabin. The ferry was filled to capacity, with about twenty cars and sixty passengers, a handful having biked onto the ferry.

Cher spent the majority of the trip sitting at a table, head pillowed on her arms and making rather pathetic moans of despair every time the boat rolled from side to side.

A curly-haired boy sat two tables over, snickering every time Cher cursed loudly. Eventually, his companion, a slender boy with rather elfin features, finally leaned over and asked, “Your girl okay?”

“She’s my cousin and she doesn’t like boats,” Liam explained. Cher emphasized this with another curse and a rude hand gesture in the direction of the other boys.

Aunt Charlotte returned then and smacked Cher in the back of the head with what appeared to be a rolled up map. “Good news or bad news?”

“Good,” Cher muttered. “But it’s not really going to be good, is it?” Liam stifled a snort.

“Well, maybe. Good news is we’re about to dock. Bad news is the bridge from the main island to the island where we’ll be living is currently out of order and will be for another week, so we have to take another, smaller ferry to get there.” Cher moaned in despair.

“Where are you going?” the curly-haired boy asked, after exchanging a look with the other boy.

“Grangerford,” Aunt Charlotte said. “We’re staying on Little Rock Island.”

“Hey, we are too! I’m Louis,” the shorter explained. “And that’s Harry.”

“Charlotte Payne, this is my daughter Cher—“                                        

“Lloyd,” Cher corrected, lifting her head up. “I go by Lloyd.”

“And my nephew, Liam.” Liam obligingly waves and patted Cher’s shoulder when her head thumped back onto the table. “Are you locals or just summer residents?”

“We’ll, we’ve both gone every summer since we were really little, so I guess a bit of both,” Louis said cheerfully. “You said the bridge was out?”

“According to them over there.” Aunt Charlotte gestured to two elderly men. “If they’re lying, it’s a very convincing lie.”

“Oh, hey! It’s Mr Hanley and Mr Morris!” Harry said and waved. “Yeah, if they say it’s out, it’s out.”

They chatted for awhile, Harry and Louis admitting they knew the Horans, although as soon as the conversation topic turned to this subject, the captain announced over the speaker that they were about to dock and all passengers should return to their respective vehicles.

The drive (and the shorter ferry) to the rental house took another hour, where Cher cursed all boats that ever existed and Liam tried not to feel too apprehensive about spending a summer in a town of complete strangers, especially with everything going on with Mum and Dad.

Finally, they reached a winding driveway that lead up to a lovely yellow house.

Aunt Charlotte parked and gestured for her daughter and nephew to get out of the car.

“Come on, let’s go meet the landlords. Maybe Neil and Elizabeth will be here!”

Groaning, Cher heaved herself out of the car and Liam trailed along behind as his aunt and cousin marched up to the front door. Before Aunt Charlotte could knock, a blonde woman opened the door, beaming.

“Hi, you must be Charlotte Payne.” The blonde woman shook Aunt Charlotte’s hand. Liam tried to place her accent and failed—it sounded half-Irish, half-something else. “I’m Maura Horan. This must be Cher—”

“Lloyd,” Cher muttered, rolling her eyes.

“And Liam!” Mrs Horan beamed, entirely oblivious to Cher’s dagger glare. “My son Niall and my niece Eleanor are both out right now, but they’re thrilled to have actual kids on the property. We’re a bit of a ways out, as you could probably tell. They should be back in about an hour, though. Come on in, I’ll get your keys and things.”

Mrs Horan chatted cheerily with Aunt Charlotte while Cher and Liam followed behind, trying not to feel out of place in the tidy home.

“Here, a key for each of you and the pass code to the garage is 1516.”

Cher held up her rhinestoned key in disgust, dangling it from the fluffy pink key fob. Liam bit back a laugh at her facial expression, although it was her turn to laugh when his turned out to be camouflage patterned.

“Behave,” Aunt Charlotte ordered, seeing their expressions. “Thank you so much, Mrs Horan.”

“Please, call me Maura!” Mrs Horan chirped, smiling brightly.

…

“I still can’t believe you got into a fight with Gavin,” Eleanor said, pulling her helmet off and shaking her head so her braid fell properly on her shoulder. She put her helmet on the shelf and reached for her cousin’s, taking it from his hands. “But it was sweet of you to defend my honor.”

“I think you did that yourself,” Niall grumbled as the exited the shed. “Hey, whose car is that?”

“The SUV?” Eleanor shrugged. “License plate’s not from here. Bet you it’s the renters.” She pushed open the door. “AUNT MAURA! THERE’S A WEIRD CAR IN THE DRIVE.”

“Is it the new renters?” Niall asked, noticing the brunette woman and the two teens in the kitchen but still beelining for the fridge.

“Niall, what  _happened_  to you?”

“Gavin said Eleanor was a slut,” Niall said baldly, opening the fridge and retrieving the carton of orange juice. “And a few other things I won’t repeat. So I punched him.”

He took a long pull from the carton, choking when Eleanor smacked the back of his head.

“Gross, Nialler!”        

“No one else drinks orange juice here!”

“Niall! Eleanor! We have guests!” Mrs Horan scolded. The cousins blushed. “Go get changed.” Niall looked down at his clothes—long-sleeved shirt and pants spattered with mud. Eleanor was much the same, although she had soda stains whereas Niall had blood on his from where his cut had dripped onto his clothes.

“But we’re going to go back out in like ten,” Eleanor protested. “Harry and Lou are coming back today! We just stopped by to get a bandage for Niall’s head.”

“That looks serious.” Mrs Horan looked worried, tilting her son’s face up to get a better look at the long gash. “Maybe we should take you to the hospital?”

“Liam’s trained in first aid,” Cher put in, elbowing her cousin. “If you’ve got a med kit, he can stitch Niall up easily.”

“Really?” Mrs Horan sighed. “If you could, Liam, that would be fantastic. We’ve had to bring Niall into the ER twice this month—something tells me they wouldn’t be happy to see him again.”

“Um, sure. Have you got a med kit?”

“In the bathroom—Eleanor, honey, could you get that?”

“Yes, Aunt Maura.” Eleanor obediently went to fetch the medkit while Mrs Horan ushered Aunt Charlotte and Cher into the other room, giving Niall a pointed look.

The blond settled onto a kitchen stool and waved as Eleanor darted in to the kitchen to drop the black canvas kit onto the counter.

“So,” the blond grinned, facing Liam. “Where you from?”

Liam paused, holding the cotton pad up to Niall’s forehead. “I was born in Wolverhampton,” he said finally. “But I’ve been living mostly in London with Aunt Charlotte and Cher—sorry, Lloyd, I keep forgetting she wants to be called that—since I was eight. Stop squirming, that makes it worse.”

Niall immediately stilled, although his hands kept fidgeting. “And you’re here for the summer?”

“Mm, yeah,” Liam said, capping the bottle of disinfectant and reaching for the box of butterfly bandages. “What about you?”

“Born in Mullingar, Ireland, but we moved here when I was ten. We’ve been here ever since. Eleanor spends all her summers with us.”

Liam worked in silence, listening to the girls chatting in the other room. Or, more accurately, hearing Aunt Charlotte and Mrs Horan chatting while Eleanor and Cher groused about stupid cousins.

Suddenly, Niall spoke up, staring into Liam’s eyes. “There’s a bonfire tonight, all of us old-timers are going. Want to come with?”

Liam shrugged. “Sure, why not? It’s not like Cher and I have anything better to do.”

Niall came with them to the guesthouse to show them around. Eleanor had waved them off, insisting she’d meet up with them at the bonfire.

“You just want to see Louis again!” Niall had teased. Eleanor had blushed but hadn’t denied it.

“Not my fault he’s fit!” Eleanor had tossed over her shoulder, heading out to the shed. Two minutes later, she’d zipped past the Payne’s SUV on a bright red motorbike, waving as she passed.

Niall gave them directions to the cabin, a five-minute drive from the Horan house down a winding dirt road. The cabin is neatly painted blue, with a wide porch and clean windows.

“No one’s lived here since the Cowells, two summers ago,” Niall explained, opening the door and showing them inside. “But we keep it clean, and it’s comfortable enough, I suppose.”

Aunt Charlotte sends Liam and Niall out to collect their suitcases—Cher was supposed to help, but she vanished into the bathroom with the complaint of cramps and Liam had immediately dropped the subject.

Niall showed them the basics—how to work the stove and oven, the hot water tank, bathroom faucets (he informs them solemnly that the cold knob turns on hot water and the hot knob turns on cold water because the plumber was an idiot), the heating and air conditioning.

Niall showed them where the various bedrooms are—Aunt Charlotte claimed the downstairs bedroom with the attached bathroom; Cher claimed the green attic room with the window seat.

Liam’s room was in the attic, across from Cher’s. A twin bed with a sturdy wooden frame was tucked into an alcove just under a window, with sheets and a plaid comforter neatly making it up. The walls were a warm yellow but plain, and when Liam looked out the window, he could see the lake maybe a mile away, peeking out from the thick trees that covered the island.

“You ever lived anywhere like this?” Niall asked, smirking at Liam’s awed expression.

“Never. I grew up in London.”

“You’ll love it here. Everyone does.”

“I don’t know, seems like there’s a lot of bugs out there.”

Niall laughed and helped Liam tack up posters.

The bonfire was in full swing by the time they got there, warm and inviting. Niall slipped his hand into Liam’s and tugged him over to a log.

Eleanor held up her cup and saluted the boys, then collapsed against Louis in a cascade of giggles. Liam noticed they were holding hands and easily saw Harry’s annoyed glare, even though he had his arm around a petite redhead.

Niall grinned and tugged Liam to sit with them, their hands still tangled together. Cher followed behind but drifted to the other side of the bonfire, gravitating towards a group of girls that seemed to be led by a tall black girl.

“Alright, we’ve got newbies,” Niall announced. “Anyone want to do a rundown or shall I?”  
When no one replied, he shrugged and started pointing people out, explaining who they were, what they do, how long they’ve been coming to Grangerford. No one there was over the age of 20, Liam noted absently.

He loved listening to Niall’s rich accent, the shifting layers that made up the voice he could hear above the crackling bonfire and the other conversations surrounding them.

Sometime later, after the sun had truly set and all pretense that the bonfire wasn’t an excuse to get drunk and do stupid things had dissipated, someone had produced guitars from the back of a pickup truck. The entire group bar Liam and Cher were singing along to some song Niall was playing. Liam found his eyes lingering on Niall’s lips, reading the words as they came out, rich and full.

When he looked up, he found Niall’s pale blue eyes watching him intently. At the end of the song, Niall handed the guitar to Eleanor, rising off the log. Liam followed easily when the younger boy laced their fingers together and tugged him off further down the beach.

“Do you like me, Liam?” Niall asked softly, once they were far enough away they could still see the bonfire’s light but wouldn’t be interrupted.

“Of course I do, you’re nice and funny and-“

“No, I mean do you  _like_  me, Liam?”

“I-what?”              

Niall huffed and grabbed the collar of Liam’s sweatshirt, hauling him down three inches into a searing kiss. Liam’s hands immediately gripped onto Niall’s hips, then slid to press into the small of the smaller boy’s back. Their teeth clink almost painfully twice, noses bump and Niall yelps once before they finally align.

Niall was a damn good kisser, Liam thought dazedly, sliding his tongue along Niall’s bottom lip. Niall yields immediately and the kiss goes openmouthed, although it doesn’t dirtier than that.

When they separate, a strand of saliva connects them. Niall thumbs it off of Liam’s bottom lip, looking a little bit dazed.

“Um. Okay,” Niall said, blinking. This close, Liam can see, in alarming detail, the butterfly clasp holding Niall’s cut forehead together in the same way that he can see the stars reflecting in Niall’s clear blue eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Liam grinned and kissed Niall again.

…                     

Cher woke him up the next morning, the biggest shit-eating grin on the planet spread across her face.

“Day two and you already have a boyfriend,” she squealed, flinging herself onto the bed next to him. “Spill.”

Liam groaned and rolled over. He pulled his pillow over his head, praying she’d go away. He and Niall had been much later coming back than anyone else, having been distracted with each getting to know other and memorizing the other’s taste.  And besides, he already had insomnia and sleep problems—sleeping as deeply as he had was rare.

Cher flung the pillow across the room. “Liam!”

“We made out, is all,” he grumbled, trying to pacify her so she’d let him sleep. “Nothing official.”

“But you like him.”

“Yeah, and?”

“No,  _like_ -like him.”

“Yes, okay? But it’s summer and we’re probably not coming back, so…”

“You don’t want to get attached,” Cher said sympathetically. “But it’s summer! Have a fling! Have fun!”

Liam groans and rolls over, pulling his blanket over his head. His cousin huffs and flounces after, causing Liam to sigh in relief. Until Aunt Charlotte calls him down for breakfast five minutes later and he has to get up or risk facing her wrath.

 

—

Later that day, Liam was sprawled out on the porch with his Kindle, reading  _Lord of the Rings_  when a dirtbike roared up.  Liam watched confusedly until the biker pulled off his helmet, revealing Niall’s eager face and neon blond hair.

“Hi, Liam!”

Liam smiled and waved. “Hi, Niall.” He blushed slightly at the memory of making out with the younger boy the night before and hoped Niall would pass it off as being sunburnt.

“Where’s your aunt and cousin? Eleanor and Mum were wondering,” he explained at Liam’s questioning look.

“They went into town,” Liam replied, sitting up straighter. “Getting groceries and things. I stayed behind to read.”

“So why are you here?”

Liam shrugged. “I wanted to get some reading done. And because Cher was going on about an internet café and I didn’t want to get stuck there while she talked to her friends for hours.”

“No friends back home?”

Liam shook his head. “I’ve got friends, I just don’t particularly want to talk to anyone just yet.”  
There was silence between them for a minute, or as close to silence as one could get surrounded by a forest as they were.

“Do you have plans for the rest of the day?” Niall asked, a slow smile spreading across his face.

“No…why?” Liam asked cautiously.

Niall grinned, leaning forward on his bike. “You ever ride a dirt bike before?”

Liam shook his head no. “Never had the chance to.”

“I can teach you,” Niall offered. When Liam shakes his head again, Niall laughs and holds out his hand. “Come on. It’s not that bad.”

Liam gulped but swung onto the bike behind Niall, wrapping his arms around Niall’s waist and holding on tightly. Niall laughed and kick started the bike, whooping as they moved forward. Liam immediately tightened his grip. As much as he liked the blonde, he still wasn’t entirely comfortable on this contraption.

Niall took them down a small dirt trail, leaning into the turns. Liam relaxed somewhat, finding he was actually comfortable on this strange contraption. Or maybe he was just comfortable with Niall.

Both thoughts alarm him; he’s never been on a dirt bike before, and he’s only known Niall for less than 24 hours.

Niall yelled something—Liam could hear it rumble through his body—but Liam didn’t quite catch it. Niall repeated himself, and Liam still didn’t get it.

Finally, when Niall pulls the bike to a stop at a cliff, Liam asked. Niall laughed too hard to actually explain what he’d been saying.

When Niall finally stopped laughing, he explained. “I told you to stop thinking!” he gasped out, between belly laughs, the kind that made Liam want to laugh along.

Liam huffed and slid off the bike, stopping to look over the cliff. “Whoa,” he breathed, eyes going wide. “That’s gorgeous.”

The scene before him was the brilliant blue lake, the mainland shore just visible on the other side. The beach where the bonfire had taken place the previous night was a hundred meters below them just off a sheer drop. From here, he could see the black spot where the bonfire had raged and the tire tracks where cars had been parked.

But now, there were only a few families with small children scattered across the beach, brightly colored umbrellas and towels dotting the shoreline. Off in the distance, the big white ferry that carried passengers from the mainland to Grangerford blew its horn, moving slowly into view from around the bed.

“I know.” Niall’s voice is filled with excitement and a strange kind of contentment. Liam hummed happily as Niall came to stand behind him, chin resting on Liam’s shoulder. “I’ve lived here for seven years and it never gets any less beautiful.”

There was a loud whoop from the beach below them and two figures streaked across the sand, shedding T-shirts and shoes.

Niall straightened up and winked at Liam. “Oi, Tommo, Styles! Get back here!” The voice that came out of his mouth was unaccented and powerful.

Both figures froze immediately and began trudging back to to the pile of clothing. Louis looked up though, and saw Liam and Niall standing on the cliff.

“Not fair, Horan!” Louis called up, waving. “Get down here and let’s go swimming!”

Niall looked at Liam. “Want to go swimming, city boy?”

Liam grinned. “Why not?”

Niall showed Liam a shortcut down the cliff, a path that they tromped down to meet up with the other two boys.

They all stripped down to their boxers and went swimming in the lake, as freezing cold as it was. Louis and Harry seemed to be pretty cool guys, kicking water on each other and challenging Niall and Liam to a game of chicken that no one actually won, considering they all toppled at the same time.

Afterwards, they dressed, still dripping wet. The sun was burning hot though, and so they all dried out quickly.

“We never got to really meet you earlier, at the bonfire,” Harry said, grinning. “Hi, I’m Harry Styles, and the lump in the stripes is Louis Tomlinson.”

“I’m Liam.”

“So, uh, how do you know Niall?” Louis asked, flopping into Harry’s lap, curling his arms around Harry’s neck.

“His family’s renting a house to mine,” Liam explained. “And then Niall decided he was going to show me around. He’s a great friend.” He stopped, not wanting to mention the fact that he and Niall had made out the night before and he definitely thought of Niall as potentially more than a friend.

Niall pushed to his feet. “Oi, Louis, you have crisps in your car?”

“Hm? Yeah, crisps and coke.” Niall grinned in reply.

“Keys please?” Louis absently tossed him a key fob, and the blonde took off for the shaded area where Louis had parked.

Harry eyed Liam suspiciously. “You hit it off pretty well with Niall, then.”

“He’s a cool bloke.” Liam kept his tone even and casual, knowing that if Harry and Louis didn’t approve of him, they would certainly keep Niall away from him. “You have a problem with it?”

Louis snorted. “Problem with it? No, we’re thrilled. Niall’s never into anyone. Well. He thinks people are fit and he sleeps with them, and that’s about it. He’s actually  _into_ you.”

“You think?”

Harry gave him a glare. “He’s showing you around town and you’ve got hickies. Yeah, he’s into you.”

“So was that hickey him, or…?” Louis trailed off, wanting Liam to answer.

Liam flushed bright red. That was apparently answer enough for Louis, who burst out laughing. “Oh my god it  _was_! I never knew Niall had it in him!”

Harry barked out a laugh at Liam’s expression. “You’re into him too, then. Good to know. Just…don’t hurt him, okay? You seem like a cook guy, I’d hate if we had to do painful and emasculating things to you for hurting Niall.”

At that moment, Niall bounded up with an armful of soda cans and two bags of crisps.

“They’re warm, but,” Niall said, tossing a can at Harry, who barely missed catching it and toppled both himself and Louis to the sand.

They sat and talked for an hour. Liam observed the dynamic between the three other boys. Louis and Harry were clearly best friends, while Niall fight just on the outside, lightly teasing both of them but not disturbing the easy balance between them.

And soon enough, Liam found himself fitting into that dynamic, easily cracking jokes and learning the backstories of whomever the others chose to talk about.

When Louis’ phone rang, the other two boys exchanged looks and then ran for the car, shouting goodbyes.

“They’re pretty cool,” Liam said, grinning at Niall. He stood and dusted off the seat of his pants, reaching down to help Niall up. Niall accepted it, swinging up gracefully.

“Yeah, they are. I wished they lived here year ‘round, that would be amazing.” Instead of dropping Liam’s hand, Niall gripped it tighter and started to walk, tugging Liam along behind him.

They scrambled up the cliff path but walked into the forest rather than returning on the bike.

Niall told stories about growing up on Little Rock Island and the small town of Grangerford on the bigger island, and Liam swapped him, story for story, tales of growing up in big town London.

Up ahead, Liam heard a puppy yelping.

“Do you hear that?” he asked, putting a hand on Niall’s arm to slow him down. Niall paused—and there was the yelp again, followed by raucous laughter. His face darkened.

“Yup. And I know who it is, too.”

He turned and led Liam down a side path in the opposite direction from his bike. As the path opened into a clearing, LIam saw two boys and a girl, maybe slightly older than they were, kicking a basset puppy and a golden retriever puppy.

“Seriously, Gavin?” Niall called out, stalking forward. “I thought we made it clear you weren’t welcome on Little Rock.”

The apparent leader rolled his eyes. “Didn’t we make it clear we didn’t care?”

“Fuck off, Horan,” the girl added in a brash American accent. “Or wasn’t the black eye warning enough?”

“Get off Little Rock and then we’ll talk,” Niall countered, crossing his arms. Liam moved forward to stand beside him. “You’re not welcome here after what you did to Eleanor.”

“How  _is_  your sister, Horan? Still fat?”

“ _Cousin_. And none of your business.”

Liam got the feeling this was a common argument.

“That’s cruelty to animals, you know,” he said, nodding to the dogs. Three pairs of eyes snapped to him, although Niall’s remained fixed on Gavin. “Which is pretty illegal.”

“Do you really think we care?” the girl spat, tossing her bright red hair over her shoulder. “It’s summer in a hick town, no one’s gonna arrest us for anything.” Niall opened his mouth, probably to reply, but a quiet voice cut across the clearing.

“No, but they’d be very interested to know who cause the fire down on the docks,” it drawled. Gavin and his cronies paled, then packed away from the puppies. Turning, Liam saw a boy with Pakistani heritage—he could tell that much from his Pakistani neighbors back home—but a clear British accent, wearing  a black t-shirt and jeans, dragging on a cigarette. “And if I so happened to have video proof of who it was…Hm, they’d be very interested in seeing that.”

The trio slunk off, leaving the bloody puppies behind.

Liam knelt and coaxed the two over to his side, lifting the golden into his lap. He’d worked at the animal shelter near his school for community service hours, and he knew enough about injuries to know that this puppy had a pretty severely broken leg. The basset looked better, but not by much, his fur matted with blood.

“I was handling it, Malik,” Niall said angrily. “You didn’t have to cut in.”

“No, but I saved you a fistfight,” Malik countered. “Your mum would kill you if you came home with another black eye.”  Niall just huffed.

“I was handling it!”          

“Sure you were. Who’s the new—Liam? Liam Payne?”

Liam looked up and met a pair of brown eyes. “Yes?” he answered, drawing out the ‘e’. He immediately started shuffling through the list of people he might know, trying to figure out who this person might be. “Do I know you?”

“You bloody well should. It’s Zayn.”

Something clicked into place. “Zayn Malik! God, haven’t seen you since we were, what, eleven?” Liam grinned; he and Zayn had been good friends until he’d moved to London with Aunt Charlotte.

“About there, yeah,” Zayn said with a half-smile. “Small world.”

“Yeah. What are you—”          

The golden puppy whimpered at the same time the basset barked, drawing all three boys attention to them.

“I think this one here has a broken leg,” Liam said, gently petting the golden’s head. “The basset looks fine.”

“I’ll take the golden in to Dr Hazel in town,” Zayn offered. “But if there’s nothing major wrong with the other one, why don’t you take him.”

Liam carefully scooped up the golden and transferred him to Zayn’s outstretched arms. “Don’t jostle him too much.”

“I won’t. We’ll have to catch up sometime,” Zayn said, cradling the puppy against his hip. “Nice seeing you, Nialler. Tell Eleanor I say hi, yeah?”

“Fuck off,” Niall said, although he was smiling. Zayn waved and disappeared down a path the opposite direction. Niall knelt and the puppy bounded over to him. Niall caught him and lifted him up so the puppy’s nose was sniffing his neck gently.

“That’s a sweetheart,” Niall cooed, straightening. “How do you know Malik, exactly?”

“We grew up together. Sort of. We were friends from when we were really little to when I moved and then I haven’t heard from him since.” Liam reached out to pet the puppy’s head as they walked back down the path toward Niall’s bike. “How do  _you_ know him?”

“He and his sister moved here…four years ago? About then.” Niall shrugged, careful not to jostle the puppy. “He’s the local…hooligan, as my Mammy would say. He’s never done anything really bad, just looks like he does bad stuff. He dated Eleanor for awhile, nothing too serious. They’re friends and he’s over a lot. I was actually going to ask if you knew him, ‘cos he was from Wolverhampton, but I guess you answered that question.”

They walked to where Niall had left his bike in silence. Niall stopped and transferred the dog to Liam. “That’s a good boy, isn’t it?” he cooed, gently scratching behind the puppy’s ear. He kicked up the kickstand and started wheeling his bike. “It’s about an hour walk, that okay with you?”

“Mm, fine.”

Niall walked the bike as Liam cradled the hurt puppy against his chest. They chatted during the walk, talking about anything and everything.

The puppy wiggled against Liam’s chest before nosing into his elbow. “Hey, little guy,” Liam murmured. “You’re safe now, shh, shh.”

Niall watched him, smiling halfway. “Sorry about that,” he finally said. “Gavin’s an idiot.”

“Yeah, I got that.” Liam replied. He shifted the puppy so he could have a better grasp. “Kind of weird to see Zayn here, though. I haven’t seen him since I was like eleven.”

“So you said.”

“Niall…about Gavin and his lot…what are going to do about them?”

Niall scowled. “Nothing. Gavin’s dad is the city council chairman. No self-respecting policeman is going to arrest him or any of his group for fear of getting fired. But he’s not going to tattle on us either, ‘cos his dad’s really strict with him. The only thing we can do is get even. It’s not even worth mentioning to any adult.”

They turned a bend, and there was the cottage. Aunt Charlotte was out on the front porch when they walked up. The second she saw the puppy, she dropped her book and hurried up to them.

“There’s blood, who’s bleeding, what happened?” she demanded, grabbing Liam by the shoulders and checking him over. Then she saw the puppy and gently took him from Liam.

“And who is this little guy?”

Liam gave her a quick rundown but left out the confrontation with Gavin’s group, instead telling her they’d just found the puppy in the woods.

“Well, it’s a boy, if that’s any help,” Aunt Charlotte told them, checking under the puppy’s leg. “He’s neutered but still a boy.”

Both Niall and Liam winced.

“Alright, Liam, I’m going to take this little guy and give him a bath in the kitchen sink. You and Niall are going to go upstairs and shower off—what were you two doing, rolling around in the dirt? You’re both  _filthy_ —and if you could loan Niall some clean clothes that would be wonderful. You’re bigger than he is, but I’m sure at least  _one_  of your shirts should fit him.”

Liam knew better than to argue with Aunt Charlotte when she got that look in her eyes and meekly led Niall inside. He pulled two old t-shirts and two pairs of sweats out of his dresser. “I could loan you some clean boxers, but I think that might be kinda weird.”

Niall blushed. “Yeah, no, I’m fine.”

“You can shower first,” Liam said, sitting on his bed. “We put clean towels in the bathroom, so…go ahead.”

Niall emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, water dripping from his hair onto the soft collar of Liam’s shirt. “I’m done,” he mumbled, scuffing his bare feet on the hardwood floor. “Your turn.”

Something flipped over in Liam’s stomach at the sight of Niall in his clothes, how they were just slightly too big for him and hung off his frame. He swallowed and gestured to the stairs. “You can go hang out with Aunt Charlotte and Cher, if you’d like.” Niall nodded and padded down the stairs.

Liam showered quickly, trying not to focus on the fact that Niall had been in this very shower not five minutes before, wet and naked and—he cut off that train of thought there.

When he came downstairs, the puppy was splashing in the sink while Cher and Niall rubbed bubbles into his fur and Aunt Charlotte dug out the makings of Sheppard’s Pie.

“We named him Murphy,” Cher announced, making a little bubbly Mohawk on the puppy’s back. “Murphy Mason, after Mrs Mason back in London.” Liam laughed—Mrs Mason had been their rather elderly science teacher who had long, stretched out earlobes and a mournful expression not unlike Murphy’s.

Niall blew a palmful of soap bubbles at Liam. They floated across the room, catching the fading afternoon sunlight.

“So how was town?” Liam asked, hopping up to sit on the counter.

“Small,” Cher replied. She dumped a cup of water over Murphy’s head. “But cute, in a quaint kind of way. No offense, Niall.”

He laughed. “It’s fine, I grew up here. I know it’s small.”

“Liam, go set the table.” Aunt Charlotte gestured to the cupboard where plates were kept. “Four people, and then get a bowl of water for Murphy. I’ll give him some of the hamburger meat from the Sheppard’s Pie.”

Liam immediately retrieved four green ceramic plates and four yellow plastic glasses.

“Is someone coming over for dinner?” Niall asked after a quick headcount. “Because there’s three of you.

“Well, you’re staying for dinner, of course,” Aunt Charlotte said, stirring the skillet’s contents briskly. “I phoned your mum while you were in the shower. You’re staying for movie night, and I’ll drive you home after.”

“Actually, I’ve got my bike,” Niall said, helping Cher rinse Murphy off. “So I can just take my bike home. The sun doesn’t set until eight or so and it’s just five now.”

“Well, that’s settled then!” Aunt Charlotte pointed to the counter. “Make sure you get Murphy with the towel before he—” Murphy shook, sending water splattering everywhere. “—shakes.”

Cher started spluttering while Niall and Liam both laughed. Niall scooped up the wet puppy and bundled him into the towel, stifling giggles.

True to his word, Niall stayed for dinner and watched  Batman with them, Murphy asleep on his chest, before attempting to bid them goodbye. But when he stepped out onto the front porch, it was pouring rain, thick heavy sheets that made riding a motorbike a dangerous prospect, so Niall decided to wait a bit to see if it slowed down.

He and Liam lay down on the porch, watching the sky.

The thunderstorm was oddly gorgeous, Liam realized, staring up at the clouds. If you didn’t mind the thousands of gallons of water that made it impossible to see more than ten feet into the distance.

“God, I love rain,” Niall breathed, watching as the silvery rain faded into the darkness, shimmering and splashing into puddles.

“It’s beautiful,” Liam agreed, but turned his head and was watching Niall. Drops of water managed to make their way onto the porch despite the overhang, causing Niall’s shirt to cling to his body.

He still thought Niall was more beautiful than the rain, though.

They laid there for an immeasurable amount of time—it could have been minutes, or it could have been hours, but time seemed fluid and Liam never wanted this moment to end.

“Niall, your mum’s on the phone,” Aunt Charlotte called, leaning out through the front door, the phone cord stretching behind her. “She wants to know if you’re planning on spending the night.”

“Probably, yeah. I mean, if it’s alright with you. I can’t exactly take my bike in this rain.”

“Alright, I’ll let her know. You’ll have to sleep with Liam, okay?”

“Thanks, Mrs Payne.”                                                                              

“No problem, sweetheart.” Aunt Charlotte retreated into the kitchen, already chatting on the phone with Mrs Horan.

Niall rolled over to face Liam. His shirt was now soaked, sticking to his skin.

“What would you say to making out for awhile?”

Liam flushed but nodded. Niall straddled Liam’s hips and leaned down to kiss Liam, long and slow. He flicked his tongue out, tasting Niall’s bottom lip. The shorter boy opened his mouth contentedly, biting down softly on Liam’s lip.

This kiss was much easier than their last, both of them more familiar with the other. Niall’s hands braced on either side of Liam’s head, while Liam’s settled on Niall’s lower back. Their breath mixed together warm and damp—Liam could taste the Sheppard’s Pie they’d eaten for dinner. Liam closed his eyes and hummed into the kiss, feeling incredibly lucky.

“Okay, stop,” Liam said breathlessly after another immeasurable period of time. Niall pulled back, confusion in his eyes. “If we don’t stop now, I’m going to need to shower again.”

Niall burst out laughing and kissed Liam softly before rolling to the side and curling into Liam’s side, humming softly.

They laid there until it was well and truly dark and Niall was drifting off to sleep.

“C’mon, Nialler. Bedtime.”

“Where’m I sleeping?”

“My room. That is, if you don’t mind sharing mine?”

Niall grinned sleepily. “Nah. I warn you though, I’m a cuddler,” he said, his accent thick with sleep.

“Fine by me.”

When Niall seemed disinclined to move, Liam knelt and picked him up, to Niall’s protests.

He carefully carried Niall up the stars and dropped him ungraciously on the bed before clambering in beside him.

“I’m not sleepy anymore,” Liam admitted, and Niall rolled over so they were lying face to face, noses almost touching. Their chests brushed as they inhaled, pressed together on this little twin bed.

“Hi.”                            

“Hi.”            

“I’m not sleepy, are you?” Niall whispered, relaxing somewhat into the pillow. His eyes sparkled brightly, reflecting some of the moonlight.

“Isn’t that what I just said? Not really.” Liam said, his laughter vibrating through Niall.

Niall sighed, shifting so his arms were wrapped around Liam’s torso but their faces still aligned. “We should talk about something….things we’ve never told anyone?”

“Isn’t that kind of girly?” Liam asked, sighing contentedly as Niall’s fingers stroked down the small of his back where his t-shirt had  ridden up.

“Probably.” Niall’s voice was rich with laughter. “I dunno. Just something to talk about.”

“How’d you start dirtbiking?”

“I got my first bike when I was eight. It was far too big for me, my feet didn’t even touch the ground.” Niall ducked his head down against Liam’s amused gaze. “It was my cousin’s and he’d outgrown it, so he gave it to me. I’d get on and my feet wouldn’t even touch the ground—I’d fall over. But my dad was convinced I’d grow into it, so I kept it and I kept riding, and…I rode for the first time and I loved it and I’ve never stopped. And when we were thirteen, Eleanor wanted to learn and so she got my old bike and then that was that.” Niall sighed, looking back up to meet Liam’s eyes. “Is there anything special for you?”

Liam smiled and pressed a kiss to Niall’s mouth, and then began telling him about stargazing with his mum before she got sick. Slowly, Niall’s eyes began to flutter shut, and Liam knew the younger was asleep by the soft, snuffling snores that began to emerge.

Still smiling, he pulled Niall closer and pressed a kiss to his forehead and settled in for another night without sleeping.

To his surprise, though, he began to drift off, and fell into a deep sleep for the first time in months.

\--

”This is really random, but can you drive? I need to go to the mainland and I can’t.”

Liam looked up from his kindle. In the past week, this had become a normal morning for them—Liam would read on the porch and Niall would pull up on his bike, asking Liam to go do something. Liam would tease Niall before Niall got his own back by forcing Liam to try something new and potentially embarrassing. They’d spent quite a bit of time with Louis, Harry, Eleanor, and Cher, exploring the small downtown but also spending hours and hours on the beach. They’d bumped into Zayn a fair few times, but he usually just saluted with two fingers before disappearing.

Niall was late today, after lunchtime. Liam didn’t mind—it meant he could make a dent in The Godfather trilogy that he hadn’t managed since meeting Niall—and set aside his book.

“So you can ride a motorbike but can’t drive a car?”

Niall blushed prettily, bright red splotching over his cheeks and down his neck. “Shut up, my car privileges got revoked after I stayed out too late and didn’t call last week. So can you drive or not?”

“I have to clear it with Aunt Charlotte, but I should be able to.”

Aunt Charlotte, thankfully, wasn’t planning on using the car that evening and gave Liam permission to be out late, tossing him the key fob with a wide smile.

“Go on a real date,” she teased. “Dinner, a movie. Have fun. Cher and I’ll go have dinner with Eleanor and Mrs Horan, maybe watch  _Love Actually_ again.”

Liam re-emerged onto the front porch, blushing but waving the keys above his head triumphantly. Niall immediately claimed the front passenger seat, bouncing eagerly as he waited for Liam to start the car.

“Do you ever stop moving?” Liam asked, amusement clear in his voice. “I mean, ever?

“Only on Tuesdays,” Niall deadpanned. “Go left here.”

Liam immediately took control of the radio as they drove, selecting a playlist on his iPod simply titled  _Driving_. The first song up was by  _The Script_ , at which Niall teased Liam for but sang along with as the chorus came on.

“Come on, sing with me!” he demanded, beaming.

Liam shook his head, fighting a smile. “I’m no good, not like you are. Cher’s the singer in my family.”  
He kept his eyes focused on the road, causing Niall to pout and stare at him with pleading eyes. He glanced over fifteen seconds after his initial denial and found Niall’s bright blue eyes boring into him.

“Alright, fine,” he said, caving. “But I get to pick the song.” Niall whooped in glee and reached for Liam’s iPod.

“Which one?”

“Do you know  _Standing in the Dark_ , by  _Lawson_?”

Niall shook his head. “Not really, no.”

“How about… _I Want To Hold Your Hand_ , by  _The Beatles_. Simple enough.”

Niall scrolled through the playlist and selected the proper song, then watched Liam expectantly.

The elder sang along, quietly at first, but his voice rose in volume and strength as the song progressed. When he finished, Niall clapped enthusiastically.

“You lied!” Niall accused, looking falsely enraged. “You said you couldn’t sing! You’re singing at the next bonfire, no getting out of it.”

They spent the hour on the ferry discussing music and finding they had much more in common than they’d initially thought.

Niall guided Liam to a small cafe that served excellent pasta. He insisted on paying, informing Liam that since Liam had driven and paid gas money, the least Niall could do was repay him with delicious food and a movie.

The movie they ended up seeing was a comedy, a cross between Freaky Friday and the Hangover. Niall laughed the whole time, and while Liam really wanted to be kissing him instead, he liked hearing Niall laugh so loud that people shushed them.

After the movie, Niall dragged him to an ice cream shop. Liam got a plain mint chocolate chip, while Niall ordered electric blue cotton candy and peanut butter in a cone, a combination that Liam never would have tried but Niall swore by.

When Niall got ice cream on the tip of his nose, Liam leaned forward and kissed it off, causing Niall to giggle even more.

They ate their ice cream slowly, talking until the sun was dipping low in the sky, then started the long drive back.

The ferry was long and quiet, but once they were off, driving towards the coast. Niall laughed gleefully, watching out the window as the sky grew pinker and pinker, drifting more towards shades of red rather than the bright blue it usually was on clear days like this.

“Liam, look!” he cried, eagerly pointing towards the sun as it arced lower and lower in the sky, dipping towards the water.

Liam glanced off the road towards the sunset and grinned, seeing how the water reflected the red of the sky and flashed gold where the fast-fading sunlight bounced off the waves.

“It’s gorgeous, Nialler.”        

Niall beamed and settled back into his seat, waving at the people they passed, most of whom called out greetings. He reached across the console and linked his fingers with Liam’s free hand. Liam tangled their fingers together, grateful that the car was automatic and he could hold Niall’s hand and share this light, easy affection.

“That was an amazing date,” he finally said, his voice quiet over the radio. “It  _was_ a date, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. It was.”

“I had fun.” Niall looked down at his lap shyly. “Are we…are we boyfriends now, or?”

“If you want to be.” Liam carefully turned onto the drive that would lead to Niall’s house. “I’d really love to be,” he added softly, deciding to go for broke. “But if you say no, I won’t hold it against you.”

Niall broke out into a wide grin. “I’d like to. I’d really like to.”

Liam squeezed the younger’s fingers gently and neither spoke until they were just outside Niall’s house. When Liam stopped the car, Niall leaned over and pulled him into a kiss, long, sweet and slow.

Liam sighed happily and smiled into the kiss, bringing his free hand up to cup Niall’s cheek, feeling Niall’s breath mingle with his own. He pressed his thumb down on Niall’s jaw, and just like that, Niall let his jaw drop, allowing Liam to lick his way inside.

They broke apart when the porch light flicked on.

“See you tomorrow?” Niall asked softly, looking young and hopeful in the flickering yellow light.

“Tomorrow,” Liam agreed.

Niall quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and walked backwards up to the steps, holding Liam’s eyes with his own. As he slipped into the house, he paused at the door and waved at Liam, then shut the door behind him.

As Liam pulled away, he knew Niall would be stopping in the living room to say hello to his parents and Eleanor, then climbing up two sets of stairs to his cluttered attic bedroom, where he’d soon be texting Liam to say goodnight.

The thought made him smile.

—

The next bonfire came two days after their date.

Gavin gave Liam and Niall a hard time for being on a date, and once again, Zayn intervened.

“Leave them alone,” Zayn warned, raising an eyebrow. “Or else I’ll throw you into the fire. And you know I’d do it.”

Gavin backed off of Liam and Niall but immediately began picking on Harry and Louis, then Danielle, Eleanor and Cher.

Eventually, they all just decided to up and leave, deciding to crash at Niall and Eleanor’s house to watch movies instead.

“Sorry about that,” Liam apologized, but Louis waved off the apology.

“Gavin’s a dickwad.”

“A twatwaffle,” Harry put in.

“Probably violently closeted.”

They all collapsed onto various surfaces in the Horan living room and watched James Bond until the sun came up.

The next night, Liam was awoken by a pebble bouncing off his window. Sleepily, he raised the window and leaned out to see Liam and Harry leaning against Harry’s familiar green truck, several other people sitting in the back.

“Is Niall there?” Harry called.

“Yeah, hang on,” Liam replied and shook the blond awake from where he’d fallen asleep after a COD marathon that had ended in Niall’s victory. “Hey, Louis and Harry are here.”

Niall blearily rubbed his eyes and leaned out the window to yell at his friends.

Louis held up a roll of toilet paper and a carton of eggs. “We made a mainland run yesterday, and we’re planning on wreaking havoc. We got El, but she said you and Liam were here. Wanna come with?”

Niall looked at Liam, grinning hopefully and Liam agreed before Niall even asked.

Cher caught them on their way down the stairs and demanded to come with them. They sat in the back of Harry’s truck with Eleanor and Danielle, who curled around Cher and explained the plan in hushed voices.

Outside of Gavin’s house, Niall took a roll of toilet paper and tossed it, the tail end streaming behind it as it soared over the roof. That was the cue for everyone to start throwing things—Liam was handed a carton of eggs and he threw them one by one, smashing a particularly good hit into a window.

The lights in the house flicked on and Louis swore, yelling for everyone to get back in the truck. They peeled away just as someone burst outside, screaming.

They repeated the process at Amanda Peterson’s house and at Christopher Funke’s, using up all their eggs and toilet paper.

Afterwards, all eight of them—Niall, Liam, Louis, Harry, Zayn, Danielle, Eleanor, and Cher—gathered at the Payne house, raiding the fridge and laughing, cheering about how they’d gotten some small measure of revenge on Gavin and his crew.

Aunt Charlotte came out of her room to see who was causing such a ruckus at three in the morning, but when she saw Liam and Cher laughing with the group of locals, the shook her head and quietly closed her door, leaving the teens to it.

Eventually, everyone filtered out to return to their homes before their parents woke up, buzzing off the adrenaline and the ice cream they’d all consumed, laughing and nervously wondering if Gavin would dare to retaliate.

—                         

The sky was beautiful, a rich velvety black. The stars shimmered gently against that velvet backdrop and the sounds of a removed world surrounded everything.

Liam sat on the front porch swing, looking up at the familiar night sky, spotting familiar constellations and unfamiliar ones as well.

Nights were his thinking time, his calm time. It was always too hectic any other time to relax.

He tipped his head ever so slightly and heard the snores and mumblings of his family—Cher’s quiet whispers and mumbles and Aunt Charlotte’s groans. Even Murphy snored loudly with a heavy wheeze. There wasn’t a quiet sleeper in the house.

Liam loved and hated these nights when his insomnia acted up and sleep was physically impossible. He missed sleep sometimes, really. But he also loved the quiet.

Quiet footsteps—and the absence of the light, even,  _unfamiliar_  breathing pattern—alerted him that someone was there.

“Hey, Niall.” Liam’s voice was quiet, and both boys knew he didn’t have to turn around to know it was Niall. After all, everyone else was asleep. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“No.” Niall shook his head and sat on the swing next to Liam. With one hand, he passed a mug of cocoa over to Liam, and then cradled his own mug with both hands, relishing the warmth that lingered in the ceramic. He smiled at Liam. “You weren’t there.”

These were the only words spoken all night, as the two boys breathed in each other’s company and exhaled hope.

Even though this hadn’t happened before, it felt like they’d done it a million times, trusting each other’s company when sleep was impossible. They were both too keyed up from their pranks the night before to sleep, but too exhausted to do anything but curl into the other’s side and stare at the sky.

When the sun started to rise, they rose, rinsed their mugs in the sink and returned to Liam’s bedroom, curling up in his bed and catnapping in the patch of sunlight.

Cher stopped by and cooed as she saw the two boys tangled up in each other and the plaid comforter. She trudged down the stairs and started the coffeemaker and kettle, settling onto the kitchen counter.

Aunt Charlotte woke up not long after, awakened by the smell of coffee.

“Are you going to wake up the boys?” she asked, pouring a mug of strong black coffee.

“No. They look sweet. Did you see how they were sleeping, Mum? It’s so cute!”

Aunt Charlotte leaned forward on the counter, cradling the mug in her hands. “I’m worried about them both, though. It’s not like Liam to be so infatuated with anyone. He wasn’t even like this with Danielle.”

Cher bit her lip. “Niall’s different. He really is. I don’t think this relationship is a physical one at all, have you seen how close they are?”

“I have. And it worries me.”

\--

The weeks blurred by in a haze of kisses and summer thunderstorms. Niall taught Liam how to ride a dirtbike and they spent hours out at the beach.

Slowly, Liam found himself falling in love with Niall’s bright blond hair and brilliant blue eyes. He loved the way Niall threw himself into everything wholeheartedly, how he laughed and loved and was just so beautiful.

They were making out in Niall’s bedroom when Niall pushed Liam back, trying to catch his breath.

“Li. Liam, I want-“ Niall flushed an even, pretty red and bit his lip. “I want to go all the way.”  
Liam pulled farther back, searching Niall’s eyes. He found nothing but trust and adoration there. “You sure?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Niall breathed, hands sliding up to Liam’s shoulders. Liam grinned and kissed him again, rougher this time.

…             

When Liam returned to his house, there was a goofy smile on his face, far beyond happy and content.  
He sat on the front porch of the rickety house he’d spent the past eight weeks in, even though it seemed years and years longer. The place he’d thought horrible and lonely was now the homiest place he’d ever lived in—and he didn’t know why.

The door quietly creaked open and Aunt Charlotte sat next to her nephew, looking up at the stars.

“You alright, sweetheart?” she asked softly. “It’s kind of late. Cher went to bed an hour and a half ago.” When Liam didn’t reply, just smiled contentedly up at the sky, she laughed. “Your dad and I, we spent our summers here when we were kids. We didn’t have the Horans, though. We had a family called the O’Keefes. I met my first boyfriend here, and I always used to sit on our porch and think about him. It’s pretty and peaceful, isn’t it?”

Liam just shrugged. Aunt Charlotte nodded understandingly.

“I know the summer’s almost over, and we were always going to leave, but…I don’t know, I feel like I belong here, somehow. But when I think about leaving, about going back to London with Dad…it just doesn’t seem right. I don’t know what to think any more, honestly. And I’m not sure I want to think anymore, even.”

Aunt Charlotte sighed. “We’ve got to go home sometime, honey. I’m not sure how your dad’s going to react to you dating Niall—you two are dating, aren’t you?” Liam’s blush was enough answer for her.“I think I know just the thing to help fix this.” She rose and went into the house, returning with a mostly-empty jar of peanut butter and two spoons.

“This always helped me when I was younger,” she told Liam as she sat, unscrewing the red lid from the jar and scooping out a heaping spoonful. She passed that spoon to her nephew and took her own spoonful, sticking it in her mouth as she closed the jar.

Liam slowly copied his aunt, looking at the peanut butter suspiciously and giving Aunt Charlotte a weird look.

When it looked normal, he ate some and winced a little at the strong taste. Aunt Charlotte and Liam talked for a while, until the peanut butter was all gone.

“I thought it tasted kinda funny,” Liam commented as he picked up the empty jar. “How old is this stuff?” he checked the label. “Expires in three years. Hm. Maybe I just don’t like peanut butter.”

Aunt Charlotte laughed. “Or maybe you just had a bad taste in your mouth before!” Liam snorted and tossed the jar into the trashcan, heading up the stairs to bed. “G’night, Auntie C!” he called softly, careful not to wake up Cher.

“Or maybe you’re in love, sweetheart. After all, nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like love.” Aunt Charlotte smiled as her nephew’s door clicked shut upstairs, cutting off the soft sounds of his humming. “And I think I know who did it.”

—

The next morning, Liam was awakened by Aunt Charlotte shaking him roughly.

“Liam, it’s your mother. She’s in the hospital, and we’ve got to go, now. The first ferry is in an hour, pack your stuff. We won’t be coming back.”

Numbly, Liam began unloading his dresser into his suitcase. Mum had been always been sickly, but never so sickly she was in the hospital—and certainly  _never_  so sickly her sister rushed her son and niece to her bedside.

Once he finished, he loaded his suitcase into the back of the car and returned inside to help Cher pack her things up.

“Auntie Karen has to be okay,” Cher murmured, folding a dress. “She  _has_  to be.”

As kids, Cher and Liam had bounced between each other’s houses for extended periods of time—Cher was as close to Liam’s mother as Liam was to hers. The whole situation was distressing for both of them.

The Paynes were quiet as they left the small cottage behind them. It was only once they’d disembarked the ferry and halfway back to Wolverhampton that Liam realized he’d left Niall behind, but when he went to call the younger boy, he realized his phone was dead and in his suitcase anyways.

He busied himself with calming Murphy, who had only been in the car once to visit the vet.

Once they got to the hospital, all thoughts of Niall flew out of his head, crowded out by worry for his mother.

—

Niall tapped on the door to the cottage, a smile lighting up his face at the thought of seeing Liam again. No one answered, so he simply pushed the door open. Charlotte had gotten used to him wandering in and out and Liam was a morning person anyways, so they wouldn’t mind.

He was met with an empty house, nothing left. The three keys were on the table, Liam’s _The Script_  keychain still attached to his camouflage patterned key. The beds were stripped bare, blankets folded neatly and sheets in the laundry room, waiting to be washed. Even the posters he’d helped Liam pin up were gone.

The house was entirely deserted.

He broke down in tears.

—

After two weeks, Niall started to wonder if the Payne-Lloyds had been there at all. Eleanor, Harry and Louis never brought them up. The others just looked confused or avoided the topic whenever Niall tried to hint at their existence. And there were mysteriously no photographs either. The only thing that was really any sort of proof were the hickies and the ache in his lower back, but those had faded fast. There was no reason to believe Liam and Cher had ever been there at all.

He wanted to believe Liam had existed, but if he really had, why would he have left without saying something?

Harry and Louis noticed a massive change in Niall the weeks following Liam’s departure. The blond was more subdued in his mannerisms—he spent hours out on his dirt bike exploring old trails and frequently crossed over to the mainland to explore other routes, often being gone from dawn to dusk. He only picked at his food now, and rarely played his guitar—he didn’t even speak as much as he usually did.

Finally, Zayn decided to do something about it.

Niall stopped his bike by the cliff, dropping the kickstand and leaning against a tree.

“Missing Liam?” a voice asked from behind him.

Niall squeaked and nearly stumbled.

“Whoa, just me.” Zayn stepped out of the shadows, waving politely. “Just here for a smoke.”

Niall stared at the taller boy as he lit a fag and exhaled a cloud of grey smoke.

“What did you say about Liam?”

“I was wondering if you missed him.” Zayn fixed Niall with a steady gaze. “You do though, don’t you.”

“Why does it matter?” Niall kicked a rock and watched as it bounced the hundred meters down to the ocean. “Not like he exists.”

Zayn chuckled in surprise. “Oh, he exists. Trust me. You don’t forget your first kiss easily.”

“What?”

“I guess you wouldn’t know that.” Zayn stared up at the sky, slightly fuzzy from behind the wisps of smoke that surrounded them. “Liam and I were close a few years back. I thought he was my boyfriend. He thought it was experimentation. He never liked me as much as he liked you.”

“But you’ve got a girlfriend,” Niall stressed, trying (and failing) to comprehend this new information.

“Well, so did you,” Zayn said calmly. “I happen to like both. You’ve got an exception, and Liam’s flat out gay. Kind of like Louis and Harry. Although hopefully with less girlfriends.”  
  
“Oh. So you know where Liam went?”

Zayn shrugged. “Liam had to go back to Wolverhampton,” he said. “Family problems.”

“So why hasn’t he called?”

“I dunno. That’s Liam, though, he hates attachment. Every time he gets close to someone, something bad happens.  _Really_  bad, I mean. His mum’s sick, his dad doesn’t want him around, all of his boyfriends ever have cheated on him…he just doesn’t trust anyone, really. It’s a miracle he opened up to you.” Zayn leaned forward when Niall rolled his eyes. “Niall, listen to me. Liam wouldn’t have hurt you intentionally. That’s not how he works. And I can tell you right now, he left for a very good reason. He probably didn’t even have the  _chance_  to say goodbye.” Zayn dropped his cigarette and ground it into the dirt with his heel. “He ever tell you about his mum?”

“What?”

“Did Liam ever tell you about his mum?”

“No?” Niall said hesitantly, unsure of where Zayn was taking the conversation.

“Liam’s mum was sixteen when she gave birth to him. She’s always been very sickly, and two years ago his parents divorced. I only know because I kept in touch with some mutual friends,” Zayn said with a bitter smile. “Anyways, his mum was diagnosed with a fairly serious autoimmune disease a few years back, right before the divorce. My guess is that she got worse and the Paynes had to go back. Knowing Liam, he’s at her bedside as long as the hospital would allow, making himself sick with worry.”

“So why is everyone pretending he doesn’t exist?”

“He did leave without telling you. You were pretty upset and I’m pretty sure Harry and Louis are just scared of setting you off again. You look too much like a puppy—’”

Niall snorted, but Zayn nodded. “You do, I swear. People don’t like seeing you upset, for whatever reason.”

“I wish he’d said, s’all.”

“How about this,” Zayn said, leaning back against the tree. “If Liam doesn’t call in a month—thirty days—we can go on a date, you and me. I think you’ll find I’m a very considerate boyfriend. Just ask Eleanor.”

Niall swung onto his bike and kicked it to life. “Thanks for the offer…I’ll let you know what I think tomorrow, okay?”

Zayn nodded, then stepped forward, kissing Niall softly. “Take your time. I’ll be here.”

Niall touched his hand to his lips, then settled his hands firmly on the handlebars, letting the bike roar to life. He took the long way home, thinking over what he now knew.

When he got home, his mother was stirring a pot, the house smelling of split pea soup. Niall set his helmet on the table and sat at the counter.

“Mum, why didn’t you tell me that Liam’s mum was sick?”

Mrs Horan looked surprised, turning to face her son. “I thought you already knew, love. You were so close…and you’ve been getting all those texts, I assumed you were in touch with him that way. Do you want his email? I can get you in contact that way.”

Niall shook his head. “He’s got my phone number. If he hasn’t called by now, he’s not going to. I was stupid—it was just a summer fling to him, I guess.”

—

The next year progressed slowly.

Zayn and Niall had dated for awhile—four months, a record for Zayn, Niall was pretty sure—but broke up due to a mutual agreement. They stayed close friends though, and Niall managed not to think of Liam too frequently.

It was a difficult year, with Gavin still there to pick on him. But his friendship with Zayn was solid, and he was content enough.

And now, he was off to university, where hopefully, he’d get a full, fresh start.

Niall pushed open the door to find a brunette boy pinning up a poster.

“Hi, I’m Niall Horan, your roommate,” he said, dropping the boxes onto the bare bed.

“Oh, no, I’m not your roommate,” the boy said, grinning. “Your roommate’s through there, bringing in boxes. I’m Colin, from across the hall.”

Niall raised an eyebrow. “No offense, but why are you hanging up posters?”

Colin shrugged. “Neighborly goodwill? Also, Liam has excellent taste in music.” He fixed Niall with a steady glare obviously intended to be intimidating but falling far short. “Do you have excellent taste in music?”

“I hope I do,” Niall said easily, using his pocketknife to open a box. “I like The Script, The Beatles, miscellaneous pop and rock groups.”

A knock sounded at the door and Colin bounded up to answer it. “That’ll be Liam.”

He opened the door and a familiar head of brown hair entered the room.

“Niall?” an incredulous voice asked.

“ _Liam_?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> It's a bit open ended, yeah, but I left it that way intentionally, so you can decide if Niall would have forgiven Liam or not.  
> Also I know there's a lot of stuff that factually doesn't make sense, just go with it please? xD


End file.
